Would You Be My Valentine?
by ProlificP
Summary: Someone is in for a surprise Valentine...


Another product of late night fiddling!! Oh well. Valentine's day and all

Title: Would You Be My Valentine?

Pairing: It's dead obvious, but read ahead

Summary: Someone's in for a surprise Valentine…

***

He replayed the scene a second time, Sydney Bristow walked out of the office and burst into tears. It wasn't the kind of uncontrollable sobs that he got from men and women alike pleading for their lives, more like a small letting off of steam; the silent shaking of shoulders and noiseless tears that coursed down her cheeks. The slight fit was quickly gone and she wiped away her tears before leaving the room to go back into the office. He froze the screen and stared at the empty office before rewinding it and watching the scene again.

This time he carefully observed a single tear as it fell down her cheek and then along her jaw and further along to her neck. He looked at the bright eyes that brimmed with unshed tears and the clenching manicured hands that curled and uncurled as she let go of her emotions. He knew that it should probably give him some sort of satisfaction to see her collapse in that way, after all of the things that she had screwed up for him and everything that had transpired before, but he had never taken any particular pleasure in pain before and in her it was particularly disconcerting. He had distaste for torture in particular, he had always been merciful enough to give the unfortunate recipient a quick bullet that killed instantly and prevented many an agonizing moment. He cocked his head as he gazed at the screen, seeing his one worthy adversary and froze the screen at the part when she looked straight at the screen. She always seemed so sad or angry. He was going to give Sydney Bristow something to smile about this Valentine's Day.  

***

Sydney collapsed on her couch and sighed _Will__ this monogamy never end?_ She had just gotten back from work and her back was killing her, result of a really uncomfortable chair that she was very sure was bad for back posture, she wondered if she sat there for long enough she would become deformed and then they'd finally have to let her go. Of course, she could leave at any time since there was no longer any SD-6 to slit her throat if she left, but that meant saying goodbye to her old life and the only connections and anchors that she had left in the world.

She closed her eyes but an image of Vaughn and Lauren kissing floated unbidden to her mind. She growled in frustration and her eyes flew open. She had found out earlier in the day that Vaughn was planning a romantic picnic for him and Lauren in the park, the same park that they had met in so often when he had first become her handler. He had already asked for the day off, as had several other people that wanted to enjoy Valentine's Day with their significant other _And you Syd? What is it that you will be doing on the day of love?_

_Why it's funny you should ask, I was planning on kicking some insignificant sleaze's butt and then breaking open a bottle of red wine, some pasta and some weepy movie, care to join me?_

_No thank you, your evil side and I have a date_

She sighed again, great even her imaginary voices had plans. She got up and headed for the shower. After a nice steamy shower she stepped out and changed then padded over to her bed, her eyes were just fluttering closed as the doorbell rang. She sat bolt upright in her bed and cursed _Who__ the hell is that?_ She grabbed her gun and rushed to the door, she checked to see if anyone was outside but could not spot her late night visitor. She flung the door open and looked down the corridor but there was no one and no footsteps gave him or her away. She looked down and spotted a single long-stemmed crimson rose. She pushed her hair back behind her ear and reached down to pick it up, there was a note attached

**Never frown, even when you are sad, because you never know who is falling in love with your smile, and remember dear ****Sydney**** 'tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. Now I must ask, would you be my Valentine? **

**Luv, Casanova**

_What the_… she was thoroughly confused, and at the same time flattered that someone had a crush on her. _Was it Vaughn?_ No, he was married and he had never been the type to do thoughtful stuff like that, his thoughtful was more being sensitive and giving sentimental gifts. Not little untraceable ones. She smiled _This Valentine's day might be interesting after all  She_ was still smiling as she retreated back to her bedroom.

***

Sydney walked out of the briefing room, just as refreshed as she had been before going in, which was a first. She had fallen into a fit, dreamless sleep soon after finding the rose. She had spent the entire day musing about the identity of her admirer. She thought it interesting that he would take on the name of the most infamous womanizer in history, Giacomo Casanova, who had been a soldier, spy, diplomat, writer and adventurer. According to his memoirs he had had intimate encounters with 122 women. _Maybe it's __Sark_ she snickered silently to herself.

She was due to leave for a recon mission somewhere in Peru in three hours but first needed to reacquaint herself with the geography and structure. She sat down and accidentally shook the mouse, her monitor came on and she stared at it, agape. Instead of the normal rotating CIA logo was a pink screensaver, it said 'Would You Be My Valentine?' 

"Sydney?" she hurriedly put the monitor off and turned to face Vaughn, smiling tightly.

"Yes?"

He looked uncomfortable "Um, I just wanted to say hi"

Her smile relaxed "Hi"

"Hi" they grinned at each other, momentarily forgetting everything that had happened. _Just like old times_

"Michael!" Vaughn  turned to talk to his wife. Sydney sighed and returned to her file _Then again_

***

She knelt down beside the small mahogany box that rested on her doorstep and gently lifted it. She opened her door and slipped inside then sat on her couch. She cautiously opened the box and music started playing, the little ballerina figure inside began to rotate and move, she gasped. It was beautiful. She smiled, remembering her dream to be a ballerina when she was a child. There was a small pin beside it in the shape of a rose. She read the note

**The most difficult thing that you can do is to watch the person you love love someone else, but you must realize that the best way to love is to love like you have never been hurt before. So I'll ask you again, would you be my Valentine?**

**Luv, Casanova**

She slept with the music box on her bedside table "Whoever you are" she whispered "Thank you"

*** 

And so the days flew by, she got a gift every single day. She got Alice in Wonderland the first edition after a particularly grueling mission that involved lots of foam, a very noisy disco and bad guys that could run really fast. She'd managed to ruin her hair, ruin her dress, break four nails, and acquired several new cuts and bruises to add to her considerable collection. She swore when she realized that somewhere along the way she had lost her key, she would have to get the locks changed. She got the spare key from under the flowerpot and walked in. On her kitchen counter sat the first edition of Alice in Wonderland, that fantastical book that had so enchanted and enthralled her as a child. Almost reverently she picked up the book and caressed the cover, it looked brand new and was in prime condition. _This must've cost a fortune  Next_ to the book lay another crimson rose

**You don't love a woman because she's beautiful; she is beautiful because you love her. You are beautiful ****Sydney****. Would you be my Valentine?**

**Luv, Casanova**

She bit her lower lip and stared at the note, smiling slightly. _This guy really piles on the compliments _She imagined what he would be like, dark hair and eyes, sun bronzed, wide smile… _Crap, what if he's a she??! Maybe this admirer of mine hasn't made a move because it's a she, what do I do? Wait a minute, relax __Sydney__. Take deep breaths. No, that can't be. Of course not, it's definitely a guy. A very sweet, romantic, sensitive guy_ Reassured, she retired to bed. She read the book before placing it under her pillow and falling into a deep dream-filled sleep.

***

"Are you sure you don't mind working today?" Dixon asked, he looked concerned

"No, I'm fine, really" she smiled up at him _Liar_ She told the voice to shut up. The briefing room was empty save for her and Dixon, her father was on a mission himself, Vaughn and Lauren off on their picnic and Marshall and Carrie spending the day together. "So what's my mission?"

He didn't look entirely convinced but turned to the screen behind him, "This man, Carson McNeil is an informant for the Covenant. He has a disk of names that the CIA needs to take down several arms dealers. You will be going in as a prostitute" Sydney's expression said it all, at least he looked apologetic "You will knock him out and access the disk which is kept in a safe behind a portrait of Louis XIV. He lives in Hotel Kensington, penthouse suite on the top floor"

"What about optech?"

"You won't need more than the standard issues, knockout aerosol and gun. We're sending you in without any comm.. equipment just in case it's discovered, you will be scanned before you enter and the safe is standard, you won't need any special equipment to crack it"

"When do I leave?"

He checked his watch "In three hours, Dover airport"

"Got it, is that all?"

"Yes, good luck Sydney"

"Thanks" she left the room and headed towards the lower level where the equipment was stored, she would need to sign out a few things.

***

_Ireland_

Dressed in a skimpy blue dress and long strawberry blonde wig, Sydney stepped out of the elevator into a small lobby where two guards dressed in black were seated. One stood up

"Mr. McNeil is expecting you"

"So are most men" she smiled at him sultrily but his face remained stony. He ran a device over her, checking for weapons and wires. She came up clean. He indicated the door and she smiled at him "Thanks" she put a little sway in her hips as she walked into the suite.

McNeil was seated at his couch, he smiled at her as she came in "My dear, you look beautiful"

He leered down at her, she put a hand on his waist and whispered "Shall we?"

"A feisty one, of course" she endured his slobbering kisses and groping for approximately twenty seconds before knocking him out. 

"Good night" she knew that there were no security cameras in his suite, he probably hadn't wanted any of his dirty activities caught on tape. She ran to the study and lifted the portrait of Louis XIV from its perch; sure enough behind it was the safe.

She put her ear to it and listened for the tumblers as she turned the dial, as the final tumbler fell into place she smiled triumphantly and began to open it when she felt the cool metal of a gun pressing into her head.

"Tell me Ms. Bristow, what is it that you have always wanted?"

"What?!" she sputtered. She'd expected more of the usual cocky nonsense like 'fancy seeing you here Ms. Bristow' or just plain old 'hand it over'

"I believe you heard what I said"

_He can't possibly be serious _She decided to humor him "I've always wanted a large, fluffy, life-size teddy bear"

"I see, I must say you look beautiful in that outfit"

"You're a bastard Sark"

"Very well, now hand it over"

She grudgingly handed over the disk inside to him, she was positively boiling inside. "I have set charges, if you don't wait ten minutes after I'm gone they will go off. Goodbye Sydney and Happy Valentine's day" his breath on her back sent shivers down her spine.

"Yeah" she choked out "You too" but he was already gone.

***

Sydney stomped towards her apartment, a few choice expletives about Sark going through her head. She supposed she should have been happy to get off without a lecture like the kind that Kendall would have given her, Dixon had merely sympathized. He knew what it was to have been outwitted by Sark. The best part of the whole sorry situation was, she was disappointed that she hadn't seen his face, _disappointed!!!_ It had been such a customary thing to have him ruin all her missions that seeing him had been just as customary.  

She turned her key in the lock, walked into her house, then promptly came to an abrupt halt and stared. The entire place was decorated with roses; they littered her sofa, the TV, even the kitchen. On her coffee table sat a very large, fluffy teddy bear. Right next to it stood a rectangular slab of wood with engravings. She approached the table and read it

**Shall I compare thee to a Summer's day?**

**Thou are more lovely and more temperate:**

**Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,**

**And Summer's lease hath all too short a date:**

**Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,**

**And often is his gold complexion dimm'd;**

**And every fair from fair sometime declines,**

**By chance or nature's changing course untrimm'd:**

**But thy eternal Summer shall not fade**

**Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st;**

**Nor shall Death brag thou wander'st in his shade,**

**When in eternal lines to time thou grow'st:**

**So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see,**

**So long lives this, and this gives life to thee**

Next to the teddy bear was the disk, she was half afraid that her eyes would fall out of her head. _No, there is no way that that could be. Of course not, maybe it's just a coincidence, he wouldn't right all of those sweet things for me would he? He's a cold hearted son of a… But what if he did? Is this a joke? _

With trembling fingers she picked up the note

**You come to love not by finding the perfect person, but by seeing an imperfect person perfectly**

**Luv, Casanova**

_Funny, the question isn't there this time_ All of the previous notes had contained the Valentine question. The doorbell rang and Sydney jumped.

She strode towards the door and flung it open. She stared "Sark?!" she sounded half strangled.

He smirked "Sydney"

"What are you doing here?" her mind was screaming _Do something!!_ but she was frozen in place. She noticed that he was holding something in his hands, a single long stemmed rose and a small velvet case.

He placed the rose in her numb fingers "I have a question"

"Shoot" then winced _Bad phrasing, bad, bad phrasing. Breathe, __Sydney__, breathe _

He opened the case, inside glittered a diamond ring. She gasped, he leaned forward and whispered in her ear "Would you be my Valentine?"  
  



End file.
